"Huh. Nothing changed." Rukia noticed while scanning the room, sounding slightly disappointed that everything remained the same in the room she used to share with her partner. But actually she wasn't disappointed as said, not at all. On the contrary, it was a decent surprise. It brought hope. It brought hope to her that everything could go back to the way it was, before she left. Nonchalantly, she moved the lock that was blocking the view from her face and continued with the observation of the room.

She admitted to herself. She had missed this room. Especially the little place, without a single ray of light, she used to sleep in. But it felt unbelievably comfortable. The house was her home. Everything was comfortable to her. At the Kuchiki mansion, Byakuya certainly wouldn't let his own sister sleep in a tiny, barely breathable closet. That's why this was so different. In a good way.

"I've never stopped wondering. Have you actually played that guitar? Honestly, I've never saw you play it. It just stands there, for no reason apparently." Rukia scratched her neck, indicating that there is no point in having something, if you're never going to use it.

"Yeah, 'cause when I slay a couple of hollows, save hundreds of people and try to avoid the mind battles with my friends who were brainwashed by that book asshole, I think to myself 'Hey, I should leave all of this and go play some happy music on my guitar!'" Ichigo amended the last sentence with an imitation of a joyful voice.

He was leaning on the window that was practically the door for the shadow of the moon. His hands tucked into the side pockets of his dark jeans, and he basically looked like he didn't care.

Rukia rolled her eyes, expressing her annoyed feelings at the moment. She knew she could've punched him, but that would the third time she did today and he was right, it has been seventeen months. They should just fill each other up on their recent events for the time they weren't in each others lives.

"Indeed. Nothing's changed. The room is still the same and you're still an idiot." She pronounced the last word more loudly then the previous ones, before looking away.

Ichigo did nothing more than stare bluntly at her. Nope, she did not change. It's just her hair, nothin' else. he thought to himself. His eyes carefully traced every single move of hers. Whether she was touching the desk, opening the closet doors to see her used-to-be room, he followed it all. Maybe because it was just hard for him to believe that she is here again. Or maybe it was just too easy to believe that she might have been gone forever. He thought that the second option was better at that time she was away, because it should be easier to just think that she never existed, than to try to get over the fact that he lost her forever. His thoughts fought continuously, but she was still luring his focus.

Isshin mentioned that when find themselves alone, Ichigo should give her a welcome back hug. Because hug is the most ethereal touch with a beloved person, as Isshin stated. Ichigo instantly hesitated. Hugs. They're nice and stuff, but.. he couldn't finish that thought. The truth was, he didn't knew if they just weren't ready for a hug, or if they were way past it. It is just a hug. But when it comes to a unexplained situation like this.. it isn't just a hug.

"I've missed this place. A lot." Rukia circled around the room while Ichigo watched. He curved his lips into a small, almost not even visible warm smile. One smile that meant everything. A smile he couldn't have for seventeen months. He was almost there to realizing the cause of his rare, but true smile, but failed to reach to the end because it just seemed impossible.

"I've missed this closet.. I've missed the mangas I couldn't read in Soul Society! Heck, I've even missed Kon!" She laughed a bit and so did Ichigo. His eyes were now glued to the floor, waiting for her to possible say anything more.

"And.." She slowly turned around to face him and started walking towards until she was standing a few inches away. "I've missed you."

His whole body shocked for a moment, doubting his sense of hearing. But he knew what he heard. He arose his head slowly, his eyes begging him to look at her while she stood there and a little blush appeared on her pale face.

He sighed and grabbed both of her hands that were wrapped up around her chest, her usual pose, and pulled them towards himself. She fell on him as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist. As he was leaning on the window, his head was in the same line as hers. Speechless and frozen, she moistened her lips to say something, but words failed to come out. He tuck his head into her shoulder and noticed how much a hug truly means. She closed her eyes and brought up her tiny soft hands around his neck, burying her head into his buff shoulder. She never felt this way while hugging a person. And those weren't a lot. They stayed like that for a few moments that seemed like years.

"Hey Ichigo.." Rukia finally broke the silence that strangely wasn't neither awkward nor tense. He answered with a barely understandable. 'what'.

"Thanks for letting me stay here. Again."

He didn't say anything. She waited for his answer, with eyes open now.

"Hey Rukia.. Thanks for being short enough, 'cause if you weren't I would like had to get up and -" And before he could finish that sentence a punch was landed on his face. He no longer felt the warmth against his body, as she turned around and headed towards her closet.

"Idiot." She mumbled on her way.

And Ichigo.. He put a hand to cover the red spot on his face, but the difference was that this time.. he was smiling. Nothing could ruin the moment when he noticed she was back. She was back and nothing else mattered.

He realized it now. Yeah, his dad was right. A hug is the most ethereal touch. But a hug with her is a hug of never letting go.